Bill was born in Indianapolis, IN, on August 25, 1928, to the late Al Dougherty of Connecticut and the late Angeline Bates Frost of Nashville, IN. He grew up in New York City and went to school at Great Neck Long Island High School and Trinity College, excelling in sports and academics. He was a star football player and wrestler. Bill was a Korean War veteran. During his service, he met his first wife, Inez (Eickhoff) Dougherty in Indianapolis, IN. They married and lived in Indianapolis and had five children. Later divorced, Bill moved to Nashville, IN, where he met and married Kay F. Miller Dougherty, his wife of 25 years.

Bill worked for Indiana Bell Telephone for 38 years, finishing up his career as a safety supervisor for the northern half of Indiana until 1999. While retired, Bill served as president of the Nashville Town Council and worked with the Brown County Lions Club as a trustee for speech and hearing. He worked with Indiana University in supplying hearing aids for the needy, which also included working with Riley Hospital for Children. Bill received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award in 2011 for exceptional dedication and service to others by the Lions Club International Foundation.